


Instantly Smitten

by onlymapaches



Category: Ookiku Furikabutte | Big Windup!
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-12
Updated: 2014-11-12
Packaged: 2018-02-25 02:41:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2605598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlymapaches/pseuds/onlymapaches
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haruna is really bad at handling crushes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Instantly Smitten

Haruna was pretty much immediately smitten with Mihashi Ren. When they met in the bathroom he barely registered Mihashi's existence, but somewhere along hearing how the kid held up against Tousei and seeing him again in passing Haruna developed a certain affection that he tried hard to play off as respect.

He tried to deny it. He didn’t know the kid and trying to remember his face Haruna only remembered sandy blond hair and flushed cheeks and the impression that it was a nice face. Then he met Mihashi again and the kid was shaking beside Takaya. Haruna thought he was adorable, that the impression of it being a nice face was a good impression even though nice didn’t quite cut it. 

He talked with Takaya, sneaking glances at the nervous, fidgeting pitcher when he thought he could get away with it. Takaya and Akimaru didn’t seem to notice, but Mihashi caught him once or twice, going redder each time their eyes met. The redder Mihashi got the more Haruna wanted to see so the more he looked. 

He’s not even sure what Takaya and him talked about. Haruna was too focused on Mihashi, too desperate to see him redder and more flustered. Too focused on wanting to talk with the other pitcher, not his former catcher. Then the kid asked to feel his muscles and Haruna knew he was a goner. The second those thin, shaky hands touched him he knew that it was crush and it would only worsen. His fate was sealed. So he felt up the kid and said goodbye with a smile and tried hard not to think about Mihashi Ren.

For a while he was good at forgetting about Mihashi. He didn't think about how lean Mihashi was or how skilled. He never thought about how nice Mihashi's features were or how his smile shined brighter than the fucking sun. Haruna succeeded in shutting down all thoughts about Mihashi until his catcher brought him up in passing.

Then the floodgates opened and Haruna drowned in thoughts of the kid. He had spent maybe a total of 10 minutes with Mihashi Ren and yet Haruna replayed them on a loop. But right after Haruna went through his cycle of thinking over Mihashi's good points he couldn't see how anyone could avoid falling for the kid.  
And Takaya was always at the kids side wasn't he? So of course Takaya would fall for Mihashi. And Mihashi would love him back because he lived to please and Haruna wilted and spiraled. Obviously they were dating. Of course they were dating. Holy shit Takaya was dating Mihashi. Haruna sunk even lower and tried to shake it off what he thought was fact. 

He could always go see for himself. He could visit. That’d be normal. It was possible. He could act like he wanted to visit Takaya, they weren’t on particularly bad terms at the moment. They weren’t on good terms either. He could always just say that he was there to Mihashi. It wouldn’t be that weird.  
They were both pitchers. Common interest. Somehow that was enough of a reason to go to Nishiura. 

xxx

90% of the trip Haruna questioned what he was doing. This was a dumb idea. This was bad. This was the worst idea he ever had and he had bad ideas at a constant rate. He tapped his foot at light speed and prayed for the train ride to be over. The minute, maybe even second, he stepped off the train he wanted to get back on it and go home and pretend that this never happened. He didn’t even know if they were practicing today. He walked the rest of the way to the school turning back every twenty steps only to turn around again and continue on towards the school. Steeling himself by replaying Mihashi’s smile over and over.

 

xxx

 

The first person he saw had to be his old catcher. Of course it did. It had to be the person he most wanted to avoid on this trip. He stopped in his tracks when he saw him and Takaya did the same. Takaya’s face the usual mix of anger and annoyance. Haruna smiled and offered a wave. The catcher’s face contorted. 

“What are you doing here?” The catcher asked. 

“I came to visit Mihashi.” He admitted. 

“No.”

“You aren’t the boss of who that kid sees.” “Abe!” a third voice called out and the catcher turned to the freckled kid with a frown. 

 

“No. Why the hell would you visit Mihashi? Go home asshole.” Takaya snorted. 

“Come on, stop, I just came to visit, I heard he was trying to learn how to use a wind up.”

“Yeah, so?” 

 

The freckled kid looked Haruna up and down curiously but didn’t say anything. He turned to Takaya, still watching Haruna from the corner of his eyes. Takaya turned toward him, talking with the kid is slightly hushed tones. The freckled kid pulled back, turned and frowned at Haruna and walked away saying something under his breath. 

 

“Abe just let me see the kid.” 

“No it’s weird. Go back to your school.”

“Okay, I’ll go but can you answer something for me?” Haruna asked shuffling and not looking up at him. He heard footsteps from behind Takaya and assumed they were just the freckled kid from before. 

“No.”

“Come on. Don’t be an ass.”

“That’s rich coming from you Haruna-san. Alright, what do you want?”

“A-are you and Ren dating?” 

 

And that was it. The question was out in the air. He looked up at Takaya. His angry, grouchy face in shock at the question and burning bright. The cherry on top though, was that just past the catcher on the dirt road was Mihashi: redder than a fire truck, eye’s wide as they could be, and mouth in a perfect diamond shape Haruna didn’t even know was possible. Haruna blushed to match and tried to resist burying his head in the ground beneath him. 

 

“H-haruna-san! I, s-sorry! I’ll, uh, g- go ba-back. G-good l-lu-luck A-Abe-san!” Mihashi yelped out and turned back up the road, teeth digging into his lip.

“Who needs luck dumbass? Whatever you’re thinking- you’re wrong. Get back over here. NOW.” Takaya shouted, reaching out to pull Mihashi back but the collar of his shirt. 

 

Mihashi jumped and turned around taking a stand next to Abe but not looking at Haruna. Abe looked between the two. 

 

He took a step forward, “We’re not dating.” He muttered and Takaya’s face glowed as he turned to walk away.

 

Mihashi turned and watched Abe leave, a hint of confusion mixing with the bright blush on his face. Haruna stood still. He didn’t even dare to breathe, just waited for Mihashi to turn back around. He did. Mihashi turned around and looked from underneath his lashes and Haruna stopped breathing worse which didn’t make sense but somehow he thought that was the only way to explain it. Held his breath in so tight his lungs burned and his eyes watered and he waited. He wasn’t sure what he was waiting for but Mihashi opened his mouth and shut it and opened it, testing out words to say. 

Haruna took a step forward and waited and listened to Mihashi’s breath counting each inhale and exhale, hoping soon he’d have something to say or Mihashi would say something. Mihashi took a deep shaky breath and looked up at Haruna. 

 

“S-so, you c-came to ask A-abe on a date?” Mihashi stuttered out and Haruna finally exhaled.

“No, I actually, uh, came to see you.” Haruna said. 

“W-why, would you d-do that? Haruna-san?” Mihashi asked and looked up from under his lashes again, clueless to how much worse that made everything.

“I just thought I’d visit?” 

 

Haruna tried to fight the heat creeping up to his face. He watched Mihashi as his head tilted down and looked like he might be fighting back tears. Haruna didn’t know whether to to rush forward or run away but he stayed rooted in his place. 

 

“Th-that’s very nice. Thank yo-you Ha-Haruna-san.” Mihashi choked out.

“I hear you’re attempting a wind up.” Mihashi nodded. “If you want I could show you a couple pointers.” Haruna said, distinctly aware of how lame he sounded. 

 

The words buzzed in his ears and he couldn’t think of anything remotely redeeming to say but this was better than silence he supposed. Mihashi shifted between his feet, his hands clasped in front of him, shaking slightly. This was a terrible idea and Haruna acknowledged it, welcoming the earth to swallow him up. 

 

“N-no, I really couldn’t ask you to do that. The trip is too f-far. T-thank you though, H-haruna-san.” Mihashi chirped out. 

 

Haruna was losing. He had come here without a plan. He had skipped practice and travelled out of his way just to see the scrawny kid in front of him. Just to see Mihashi in all his flustered, blushing, adorable glory and now he could go home. He could go home and come up with another excuse to visit or wait to see him till a tournament. Or he could not. He could say something and risk it. All or nothing. Haruna puffed out his chest and swallowed back his fear and took a step closer to Mihashi. He could feel the heat creeping up to his face before he even opened his mouth. 

 

“Then what about a date?” Haruna blurted out. Mihashi makes a high pitched noise and goes red. He turned around walking and mumbling about Takaya and good luck and a mess of words that Haruna can’t make out.

“Not with Takaya.” Haruna called out, blushing hard when Mihashi turns around to look at him again. “I didn’t mean a date with Takaya. I, uh, meant a date with you.” He finishes. 

 

Mihashi just stared. Stared with saucer wide eyes and his face growing darker and darker. His mouth moving silently, trying to put together strings of words to match his panicking state. Haruna waits patiently, waits silently. He’s terrified of Mihashi answering him. His breath is hollow and caught in his throat. He tucks his hands into his pockets to hide their shaking, does his best to smile. 

 

“A, a d-date? Wi-with me?” Mihashi choked out. Haruna nods. 

“That’s why I came here.” 

“O-okay.” Mihashi said. 

“Really?” Haruna moved closer, pulling his hands out of his pockets but not quite knowing where to put them. 

“Y-yeah.” Mihashi answered blushing harder. 

 

Haruna wrapped around him, laughing at the way he squeaks at the contact and how hot Mihashi’s face feels against his shoulder. He wraps tighter around and breathes, thanking every deity that Mihashi said yes. Mihashi slowly wraps his arms around Haruna’s waist and tucks his head into his chest. His ears are glowing and Haruna leans down to kiss one. There’s a squeak at the contact and another booming laugh from Haruna who pulls away to kiss the top of Mihashi’s head.

 

“Alright. Okay. Um. This is,uh, great.” Haruna says leaning away from Mihashi to fully look at him. 

“U-uh, ph-phone,” Mihashi says avoiding Haruna’s eyes. 

“Right! Okay,” Haruna says fishing through his pockets for his phone, “Here.”

 

Mihashi takes it and taps out his number and name, handing it back to Haruna when he’s finished. His shoulders spike up when their fingers brush and Haruna has to restrain himself from peppering his face with thousands of kisses and trying to see just how pink Mihashi can get. Haruna takes his phone and says goodbye leaving with only a kiss to Mihashi’s forehead. He waves goodbye and starts back for the station, turning to wave and look at Mihashi every few steps down the road until he’s out of sight. 

 

He walks the rest of the way to the train station trying to formulate the perfect first message to send to Mihashi. “Hi it’s Haruna” is too lame. “It’s me” sounds to presumptuous. “Hey” is too short. His phone buzzes in his pocket and he pulls it out hoping it’s anyone but Akimaru bugging him about missing practice. He opens the message and nearly drops his phone.

 

“Haruna-san, it’s Mihashi, I got your number from Abe-san. I hope you don’t mind, I just wanted to give you my number too and tell you I’m excited for our date. - Mihashi” 

 

Haruna read it twice to make sure he fully understood the words on the screen. He typed out a quick reply and when his phone buzzed again a minute later he rushed to open it and smiled so wide it hurt. He kept the smiling the entire trip home.

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like abe is the type of kid to never delete contacts. 
> 
> anyway, thanks for reading! I'm a sucker for harumiha but there isn't a ton here :\  
> hope you liked it


End file.
